The invention relates to a structural member of the type comprising a body with a cavity, plastic reinforcing ribs in the cavity, and means for fixing the ribs to the body.
The invention applies particularly to motor vehicles in which members of the abovementioned type can be used, for example, as front faces, bumper beams, or door panels.
A member of this type is known from EP-0 370 342. In this member the ribs are fixed to the body using openings formed in the body, the plastic material of the ribs passing through these openings and projecting around them. Fixing can also be completed by molding the plastic material of the ribs onto reliefs formed on the inside of the body. However, it is a relatively complicated task to produce such a structural member, as the need for the elastic material to pass through openings distributed around the body makes the molds relatively complex, particularly if they are to be sufficiently leaktight.